1966 HONG KONG Photo Gallery by Tom Briggs at pbase.com

1966 HONG KONG

Hong Kong ... the name itself conjures up images of intrigue, romance and history. All of these photos were taken in 1966. For those of you who now live, or who have lived, in HK, this gallery may be of interest to you. The 40+ years that have passed since I took these have also dimmed my memory as to what some of the subject matter is. If you can fill me in on the details, I'd appreciate it.

Some of the photos are of The Tiger Balm Gardens which, sorry to say, are gone. Tiger Balm was an all purpose remedy and the company built and financed the Gardens which were located on the bluffs of Victoria Peak, overlooking the harbor and Kowloon.

Please accept my apologies for the quality of the photos as slides tend to fade over time and scanning is an imprecise science.

Repulse Bay	Hong Kong Harbor (1966)	A Rose over Repulse Bay, Hong Kong	The Tai Pak Floating Restaurant, Aberdeen, Hong Kong (1966)	Tai Pak Floating Restaurant Menu (1966)
Hong Kong (1966)	The Star Ferry	A Portuguese Municipal Building, Macao	A Chinese Navy Gunboat (Macao)	Repulse Bay
A Modern (1966) Villa	A Mystery ...	Aberdeen Fishing Village	A windswept hill ...	Nathan Road, Kowloon
Upscale Dress Shop Window Display, Kowloon	"NO SQUEAK" SHOES ... 1966	Water Taxi Entryway to Restaurant	President Hotel, Kowloon	LEE KEE WOOLENS
A Study in Contrasts ...	Hong Kong circa 1966	Tiger Pagoda	Entry to Tiger Balm Gardens ...	Tiger Pagoda
Tiger Balm Gardens	Tiger Balm Gardens	Victoria Harbor	Sea-going Junks and Tai Pak Floating Restaurant	Ap Lei Chau
Victoria Harbor	Hong Kong Harbor from Victoria Peak	Enroute to Macao	Tour to Red China Border	The Dragon Wall
Kowloon Street Decorations	10 Hong Kong Dollars	Kowloon Night Life	Free Drink Coupon	May 22, 1966 Bar Tab
Tiger Balm Gardens	Some Friends of Mine ...	scan0038.bmp	Repulse Bay	Happy Valley
Water Taxi	Water Taxi Driver	Fishing Boat from Aberdeen Village	Life in the Floating Village of Aberdeen	A Water Taxi in the Aberdeen Fishing Village
My Water Taxi Driver ...	Not all Junks were junk ...	Life in the Aberdeen Fishing Village	... a beautiful couple ...	... a walk-up Hong Kong restaurant ...
Local Transportation Aberdeen Fishing Village	Water Taxi's	Water Skiing on Repulse Bay	MACAO	Causeway Bay, Kellot Island and the Wan Chai Ferry Terminal
The High Rent District

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KAI-WING LEUNG		29-Nov-2022 02:20
Thank for sharing of great set of historical photos taken half a century ago!

Bea		06-Sep-2016 04:47
Visited Hong Kong many times between 1965-'69 as a Pan Am stewardess, and spent 10 glorious days there during my vacation. These pics brought back happy memories! We stayed at the Park Hotel (Kowloon side). Every morning, though, we enjoyed our fav. breakfast of 'Swedish Crepes Suzette with whipped Orange Butter' in the Princess Room at the Victoria Hotel, with the fantastic view of the harbor. Hong Kong was a fabulous city and true shoppers paradise! Have many slides, also from Tiger Balm Gardens. Sad, that such a magical site didn't survive. Thanks for posting these fab. photos! 😊

Mike N		01-Sep-2016 12:35
The Star ferry is about the only unchanged thing ! Great set of historical photos.

kcgallery		05-Sep-2015 01:35
Great gallery Tom.

Aimee dickinson		13-Dec-2014 03:25
Pictures brought back good memories of living there 1966-1970. We lived in Borrett Mansions over looking a stunning view of the peak. Best memories of living in Hong Kong Hilton - so elaborate and friendly with Americans. Repulse Bay Hotel was beautiful and grassy. Walking the Bowen road path from Borrett Mansions to Fairlane Towers was exciting as a child - odd people and incense and shiny paper shrines everywhere. Long school bus trip from central HK to HKIS - hot and nauseating. Jill Lilliard posted on this site in 2008 - her dad worked for Matel and she and her sister had their picture on a Matel board game - my twin Kim and I were so jealous

Don		19-Oct-2014 22:08
Very nice pictures.. I was there in 1968 from Vietnam. Short respite.. My son and wife are going there and this helped me remember places we visited. We stayed at the president hotel. thank you.

Naji Sammoon		05-Oct-2014 07:26
Hi Tom. I lived in Golden Crown Court. 66 Nathan Rd Tsim Tsa Tsui from 1963 to 1985. I have many old pics.Will send some soon. Regards Naji Sammoon now in Colombo Sri Lanka n.sammoon@gmail.com

Shelli		24-Sep-2014 15:01
Tom how wonderful! I was in Hong Kong as a small child in 1951 and was taken by my grandmother and mother to Tiger Balm Gardens. The most wonderful place the memory of which has stayed with me my whole life. I have black and white pix from then, lovely to see the colored ones. The only big difference was I think the smell - in 1951 Hong Kong had a very peculiar smell - one that stuck in my mind for years. We were there on a private cruise on a freight liner that is how it was done in those days. My mother used to take oranges off the table and we would stand and throw them to the junk people. I can also remember my grandmother getting out of a taxi and throwing small coins around so that the children would run after them and not after us ....... the population was very very poor post WW2.

Bart Aldrich		11-Jun-2014 22:43
Fantastic! Ap Lei Chau and Aberdeen was a backwater fishing village, until they built about 50 high rises there called South Horizons right before we moved there in 1992. Amazing changes and it still goes on. We were back in '08 and the Harbor keeps getting narrower and the tallest buildings keep getting replaced by ones that are taller! Thanks so much!

Guest		08-May-2014 16:58
Great photos Tom and generated some great memories. Thank you. (I'm supposed to be researching facts for a piece I'm writing but got sidelined by your website)! I lived in Repulse Bay from 1960-65 (Royden Court - the block on the right of your photo) - wonderful place to grow up. Been back many times since but found the changes and frenetic pace hard to take. Thanks again, Kate

Alan Ballard		07-Oct-2013 16:19
I travelled to HK on business several times from 1969 to 1980. Your pictures bring back many fond memories of HK and the people there, both residents and ex-pats.

Larry		28-Mar-2013 20:34
Great photos, Tom. Thanks for sharing. My wife and I were in Hong Kong in the summer of 1969, and I took a series of photos of similar subjects, color and B&W, which I am now preparing for a family keepsake book. Judging from the condition and quality of your photos, I presume you must not have used Agfachrome slide film - regretably I did for teh most part - they did not stand up well over the intervening 40+ years, as the Agfa dyes apparently had great appeal for mold. Wish I had used Kodak slides for the entire trip! By the way, I agree with your observation about Tiger Balm.

Mike Antidormi		13-Nov-2012 21:17
Hi Tom, These are beutiful pictures and bring back memories. I was there in January of 1967 on R&R from Viet Nam. I was 20 years old then and a Marine. I spent 5 days there, went on many tours including a rickshaw drive (which cost plenty). I did not want to leave and head back to Viet Nam but someday I will return. Thanks Again Mike A.

Pat,		31-Aug-2012 23:59
I was there from 1952-1955 and from 1959-1961. Your park may have been part of the Botanical gardens which, if I remember correctly, was on your right as you went up the Peak road, past the Peak train Station which was on your left. The statue could have been of anyone in mythology or history. Tiger Balm Gardens had a lot of weird and wonderful folk law characters portrayed. Looking at Google Earth, I can't believe the changes that have been made. none of my previous places of residence are still in existence and Shatin and Fanling are unrecogniseable. Well done you for the photos, what great memories they stir up.

Valerie Weber Mitcheson		19-Jul-2012 15:25
I came across this as I was doing research while going through my father's pictures from 1945,we have some that are labeled & I know Tiger Pagoda was one place that I have alot of but there are other's that I am interested in finding out exactly where they were taken,it looks as if it could be a park & there is a statue type with a figure of a warrior maybe on a horse,any ideas?

danad		11-Jul-2012 08:40
Thank you for sharing this travel in the past !

hugo poon		26-May-2012 17:29
Don't know what to say to thank you for sharing such a priceless gallery! Going through it I have the same feeling of reading a great book - wishing it would not end!

Brenda		08-May-2012 13:29
Thanks for the photos. I was born in the 70s but find the old Hong Kong more attractive. :)

Guest		30-Dec-2011 19:19
Thanks for your photos.I was there in 1968 R&R westpac cruise,wish I hadn't been so dumb and taken a lot of photos instead ofbar hopping.

Jean D		18-Dec-2011 02:41
Excellent collection of images, Tom. ~V

Roger Gregory		01-Nov-2011 17:19
I can see what you mean about us probably standing on the exact same spots. Seems like we were following each other around the world. Splendid album, brought back many memories. Must unlock the comment box in my galleries so others can join the fun..

RJONES		21-Sep-2011 17:37
tHESE PICTURES BROUGHT BACK A LOT OF MEMORIES ...WE LIVED IN HONG KONG 1968-1969. i CAN REMEMBER THE WATER TAXI'S THE HILTON HOTEL, VICTORIA PEAK THE TIGER BALM GARDENS.. WOW THANK YOU FOR THE PHOTO'S. i DO NOT HAVE ANY AS MY PARENTS HAD ALL THE PICTURES AND THEY HAVE LONG SINCE PASSED AND NO ONE COULD FIND ALL THE PICTURES. AGAIN, THANK YOU

Gervan		18-Sep-2011 16:00
Thanks for sharing this beautiful Hong Kong tour. V.

Vickie BROWN		10-Aug-2011 04:41
There were tangible testimony of the Hong Kong history!

Vickie BROWN		03-Aug-2011 12:24
It's my pleasue to share the precious and valuable pictures! I wrote some kind of the feeling about the history, but I think of I lost it when I did click it!

Vickie BROWN		03-Aug-2011 12:20
It seems the description I wrote had disappeared when I click it. Have you received it?

John Vass		17-Mar-2011 07:15
Great Gallery! Wonderful history lesson for some of us! Looks like you had a great time there! Thanks Tom, for taking the time to do this and for sharing it!

Jason Anderson		01-Mar-2011 02:57
Fantastic gallery Tom. I know the often painstaking work this kind of project can take. It's great to read all the comments from people with memories of Hong Kong, then and now. Small world (to coin a phrase)!

Bruce Talmadge		24-Dec-2010 17:57
Tom , again thanks for posting things I saved over the years. I enjoy the pictures every time I see them. Takes me back to when I was there in 66-67. You took some very clear pictures. Keep in touch.

Dan Greenberg		09-Dec-2010 14:41
A really marvelous and very interesting look back in time. Again I ( and I am sure many others) are very happy you acquired your photographic skills at an early age and held on to and scanned all of these images. ~BV~

Jean-Luc Rollier		25-Nov-2010 16:27
Bravo Tom pour ce travail historique. JL Vote

Henry Tse		07-Oct-2010 00:01
Looking at those pictures, it rekindled memories of my adolescent years in Hong Kong then. The one about Nathan Road with festive holidays ornaments and decorative lightings really reflected its status as one of the foremost westernized city in Southeast Asia. Even in those days, the view of the Victoria Harbor enchanted many visitors, primarily well heeled Americans. My parents owned fashion boutiques both in Peninsula Hotel, next to Star Ferry and Hilton Hotel in Central District. American & European tourists, rather than mainlan Chinese these days, were our customers. A trip to the peak for the harbor view in the evening, followed by dinner at the floating restaurant were the two must do items. Tagging along, I ate plenty of exquisitely prepared exotic seafood dishes there too.

KAI-WING LEUNG		17-Apr-2010 14:31
Thank you for sharing memorable photos of Hong Kong! V

Peter Chui		18-Mar-2010 07:26
Great photos! To the author and all lovers of good old Hong Kong, the"A Mystery ..." photo is the name plate (which reads çèŽ) that exists at the extrance to the villa in the "A Modern (1966) Villa" photo. The villa is located at 99 Repulse Bay Road. It is a Victorian-style mansion. It still exists.

marcos Lim		11-Mar-2010 23:34
Thank You, Tom for your wonderful Images of Hong Kong And Kowloon. They bring me back there to 1966. Congradulation for the pictures. Marcos Lim at Elk Grove, CA. U.S.A.

Guest		11-Mar-2010 23:27
Thank You For All Your Wonderful Images And Bring back my memory of Hong Kong And Kowllon back to 1966. Marcos Lim

pulsclan		18-Feb-2010 23:00
Thanks for the wonderful pictures of Hong Kong in 1966. I went to school there from 1966-1967. Repulse Bay and Shek O Beach were the best!

Paul		15-Feb-2010 07:19
What happened to the original President Hotel on Kowloon? I stayed there often back in the late 60's. Paul

Guest		22-Jan-2010 13:57
Thanks for yr sharing all of the memorable moment in HK! : )

Jacky Wong		05-Nov-2009 18:02
Like a time machine, bring me back to 1966. Thanks very very much! Good job!

Dave Berry		08-Sep-2009 01:46
Great gallery, Tom. I'm assuming this was an R&R trip. The slides have aged better than I have. Voted Dave

Joel Escala		06-Sep-2009 11:58
Hi Tom, Thanks for sharing this wonderful photos and memories! V

Guest		23-Apr-2009 01:04
Frank L. Great pics, I was there in 1962, and have many shots of the Tiger Gardens also, brought back many good memories.

matthew		08-Mar-2009 14:53
I was just another guy who was born in HK in 1966! Thanks for giving me a clearer picture for HK in those good old days. In my mind all things are in B&W in those days! (as most photos published are not coloured!)

Marina S.		02-Mar-2009 01:39
Surely all in 1966 ?? I am born in this year.....so great!! I know how to take/drive the water taxi. haha..... I will show these photos to my dad and mum. Thank you very much !!!!!!! :)

Guest		26-Feb-2009 05:40
Thanks for introducing the Hongkong in 40 years ago

Chris Lusher		17-Oct-2008 11:35
Thanks for your kind comment on my gallery Tom. This gallery is a gem too! And your other ones of cities in the 70s. I'll enjoy taking a leisurely look at them all. Love that harbour shot (with the aircraft carrier) can't believe the extent of reclamation. Chris

Larry Garrett		18-Jul-2008 23:10
WOW!what a find.I was in Hong Kong 4 times between 1966_68.Especially liked the Tai Pak Restaurant.Was on the USS DALE DLG. Larry Garrett

Jill Liddiard		17-Jul-2008 23:02
These are fabulous, and bring back so many memories. I moved to HK in 1967, and lived in Repulse Bay in the twin towers in one of your shots here, and beneath the Peak in mid-levels above Central with an amazing view of the harbour. Lived in HK from 67-72, then spent summers there through 78. Member of the HKIS Alumni Association, and sadly much has changed in HK, especially the loss of many historic buildings. The old Repulse Bay Hotel has been rebuilt, too bad the original was lost, and the Hilton downtown is another loss. THANKS for these memories.

Frank		06-Jun-2008 15:12
Very nice photos of Hong Kong, I was there twice in 1966 and 1967. I stayed on the Kowloon side and had a great time, of course I was horny as all heck and spent some time with Champange( my rented lady) in my room. I took of couple of tours also on the Hong Kong side and was amazed at the hill of refugees I saw. Often wonder how things look today, over 40 years later.

Cliff		24-Apr-2008 14:47
Lovely set of pictures Tom. I was in HK with the Royal Air Force in the early 70's and your photographs remind me of those wonderful days. Little had changed then from your time in the mid 60's. I have been back several times in the last few years and it is no longer the "mysterious orient" that it once was.

Guest		12-Apr-2008 10:49
wonderful set of images here - I find it that the strongest tone in this gallery is blue - soothing and cool and not something I associate with Hong Kong (glitter and chrome would be my choice of tones if asked!) - tells a beautiful story of the past....

Guest		10-Apr-2008 17:20
I spent numerous weekends in Hong Kong and Kowloon during the 1963-1965 time frame and have not been back since. Your pictures brought back many memories including staying at the President Hotel when it was brand new. I believe the lounge there was called the Firecracker Lounge.

David		17-Feb-2008 16:36
Windswept hill photo was taken on Victoria Peak on the West side looking facing Pokfulam. I lived in HK in 1966 and was all over the colony, hiking etc., so any questions, I might be able to help. Dave dbgrizzz@aol.com

Steven Weng		16-Feb-2008 18:37
Very nice gallery!

E Chan		11-Jan-2008 05:45
Aberdeen is my birthplace in HK. My father was a cook chef of Tai Pak Floating Restaurant between 1950s and 1973 before we immigrant to USA. The long gone Tiger Balm Garden was my lunch stop next to my school-Kung Lee College established in 1971. My dimmed memory brighten up by your pictures.

Marvin Lee		10-Jan-2008 07:40
Hi, Tom, thank you because your photo let me know more about my home, Your photos also are really nice!

Steve Morris		19-Dec-2007 18:05
Fantastic shots - amazing to think that these are scans! Compositions and colours are spot on! BV

nightowl		23-Nov-2007 22:48
Wonderful gallery. You really capture the spirit of the city. V

Leslie Liu		29-Oct-2007 14:26
It is absolutely wonderful that you can share these photos! Having spent some time growing up in HK in the '80s, it is very interesting to see these images from the '60s. Especially when you compare them to the present.

Guest		20-Oct-2007 20:56
I have never been to HK, only Shanghai in China, but this is definately an interesting gallery.

Elmer Quianio		13-Oct-2007 11:47
Awesome photography! Vote!!

Nestor Derkach		11-Oct-2007 15:30
Very nice gallery , you visit is well covered. Nice camera work. Vote

Guest		08-Oct-2007 17:01
Beautiful gallery. Aldough the colors faded a bit. They did gain in charm! ;-)

matt_in_sha		08-Oct-2007 08:06
I love returning to your historical galleries, especially to find new gems. Well done Tom, keep up the great work!

flowsnow		08-Oct-2007 05:30
You obviously fell in love with HK with the number of beautiful pictures you captured of this nation. Well done. V

Bizzo		07-Oct-2007 21:37
We moved to HK when I was 8, in 1969, and I'd been looking for pictures to remind me of what it was like then. Thank you SO much for posting these!! Thy brought back awesome memories!!

eatsee		05-Oct-2007 09:12
dear dear dear, how amazing it was in the old days, thanks for this time-travel trip.....

Guest		02-Oct-2007 20:40
great shots Tom!

Guest		01-Oct-2007 13:18
nice work

Derek Zoebelein		01-Oct-2007 12:37
It is amazing to see how this city has changed over the years. Great gallery!

Kim		30-Sep-2007 07:23
Tom, Nice to see your photos. '66 was a great time to visit HKG. Did you do a shot of the old Repulse Bay Hotel? A touch of nostalgia has just swept over me. Tks for the memories. Kim D.

Guest		30-Sep-2007 01:08
Tom, if you don't remember why you took the shot, you could always say, "because it was a bloody good shot to take", which would be true... great images here. Hope to one day get to this magical place. Jv

veraferia		29-Sep-2007 20:49
Wonderful images and compositions! Keep up your work!V

Milan Vogrin		27-Sep-2007 20:53
Very nice presentation!

Guest		08-Sep-2007 14:40
What a neat gallery. I have never visited hong kong but I know a lot has changed. I am looking forward to having a chance to go there, hopefully in the next couple of years.

Guest		31-Aug-2007 10:10
Great memories ! GMV

matt_in_sha		04-Aug-2007 04:49
Amazing gallery

Guest		20-Jul-2007 23:36
these are truly historical, such "flat" landscapes from the peak~ thanks for sharing!

koncasj		07-Jul-2007 08:38
OMG!!! Thanks soooo much!!!

Guest		01-Jul-2007 21:46
lovely place to visit and thanks for sharing your happy moment in HongKong.

Guest		26-Jun-2007 21:49
Great gallery Tom, thanks for sharing it and great job for recorded the city, it has changed so much since then.

Ben Leung		15-Jun-2007 18:47
Hello, Tom, Thank you very much for bring me to 1966 (a time I was not exist).... The Hong Kong harbour did change a lot.....very interesting to see the harbour in 40 years ago I just visited the Tiger Balm Garden area few days ago, only a small house of Tiger Balm left, the other part has become a luxury building which costs about HKD10,000-30,000/sq ft!!!

Guest		14-Jun-2007 23:23
thanks Tom, these are wonderful shots of old HK. I came to HK in the mid 70s, and your images certainly aroused my fond memories.

Guest		06-Jun-2007 13:58
These are very precious records of old HK!! the pictures are surprisingly clear. Ironically, the colours of old HK seems to be much richer than the colours seen in nowdays, blue sky and water... how often do we see it in now days?

Lisa W.		04-Jun-2007 12:45
Tom - this gallery is really great. Thank you for sending me this way so I could compare to some of my recent Hong Kong Photo's. This does deserve a BIG VOTE

Guest		28-May-2007 05:26
Thanks for sharing. An invaluable collection of photos for those of us in Hong Kong who were still young in 1966.

Ron Horloff		21-May-2007 22:35
Another historically fascinating gallery, Tom. Ron

Guest		12-May-2007 09:39
Thanks for posting these Tom. My favorite stop on that government sponsored tour of S.E. Asia so long ago and so yesterday in my memory.

Terry Bowker		08-May-2007 22:02
Tom, Wonderful gallery! I really enjoyed the photographs of HK in the 1960s' !! BIG V O T E ! ! !

Martha Albuquerque		05-May-2007 14:14
You are an awesome photographer who shoot with your heart! Thanks for sharing it, Tom, ~GMV~

Guest		02-May-2007 04:06
dear tom, u've done the amazing job! Hong Kong is my hometown, and it's my pleasure to see those photos which took in 1966! Most of the places changed a lot here, especially Victoria Harbour, lucky, star ferry still like the same!

Dick Lowthian		01-May-2007 00:15
This is a wonderful gallery Tom. Did you scan the slides yourself or have them done by someone?

Guest		29-Apr-2007 08:38
It was on December 2006 when I first saw this Gallery. Really appreciate your recent uploads to this meaningful gallery. I wish I could see the water taxis, fishing villages... Thanks a lot for adding new photos.

1moremile		28-Apr-2007 23:57
A nice, interesting gallery, Tom. A few scenes look kind of surreal. Well done.

Terry Bowker		27-Apr-2007 23:01
Nice gallery Tom, I am doing my last Hong Kong trip on the 5th of May, hope to get some good shots. I love to look at your photographs from the earlier days. It is really amazing how things have changed!

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